


A Happy Dream

by StarryNox



Series: FEmslash 2019 [7]
Category: Fire Emblem: Shin Monshou no Nazo | Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem
Genre: Angst, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, but there's a happy ending!!, prompt: dream, some dialogue comes straight from the translation on serenesforest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 04:39:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17697809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarryNox/pseuds/StarryNox
Summary: Katarina prepares to face Kris and the Altean army.





	A Happy Dream

“ _You're something between a dream and a miracle_.”  - Elizabeth Barrett Browning

 

“So...the Altean army has reclaimed Altea Castle. Master Gharnef is rightfully livid.” Reese bowed her head as Eremiah spoke, her every word dripping with poison. “And yet, Reese, here you are, doing nothing. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? Ashamed of being alive? Dying for my sake...isn’t that the natural recourse? You’re worthless trash, a child the world never wanted. Tell me, Reese, who was it that saved you? Who should you thank for allowing your wretched existence to continue?”

“You, Lady Eremiah…” Her lips twisted into a cruel smirk. 

“Kill them.”

“But...Lady Eremiah, please…”

“Silence, worthless puppet. You cannot defy my orders--that’s what I’ve taught you since you were little.” Loathe as Reese might be to admit it, it was true. What good would defying Eremiah do? She had betrayed those she might have once called friends and had lost the siblings that were her only respite here. Eremiah was all that was left. And so, Reese swallowed her tears, picked up her tome, and departed.

 

\---

 

It was almost laughable, how easy it was to join the Altean knights. Katarina had only to express a desire to serve Prince Marth, and she was ushered into a courtyard full of other knight hopefuls. The plan was simple--ingratiate herself as a strategist, as one who couldn’t fight. And then, when everyone’s guard had lowered sufficiently, take out the prince with a decisive blow. And then she’d return home, to Clarisse and Legion and Eremiah, and put the events in Altea behind her once and for all.

It was chance, that she threw herself into the path of Kris, of all people. Kris, with hair the color of violets pulled back into a tight bun. Kris, who immediately took Katarina under her wing, no questions asked. Kris, who would eventually become Katarina’s downfall.

Suggesting that Kris be the leader of their platoon had been strategic, too. Katarina had already won her trust, after all, but to be frank, Katarina wasn’t entirely sure the others in their platoon were quite up for the job.

Even then, she liked Kris. Kris, who had accepted her with open arms and a warm smile. But she had her orders, and she would follow them. She would earn the trust of those in her platoon, and strike when they least expected it. 

Katarina supposed it was a good thing she was an assassin, and not a strategist like she claimed, because the plan went sideways. She got attached--to all the seventh platoon, but particularly to its leader.

Despite the senior knights’ best efforts to tire them out with training, they always had the energy to talk at night. With the moon illuminating their plain room in the barracks, Kris would pad her way over to Katarina’s bed, and they’d stay up later than they probably should, talking. At first, it was mostly superficial things, like the day’s exercises. Safe, meaningless topics. But then one night the conversation had turned towards their dreams.  Kris, naturally, had dreamt of being a knight ever since she was a little girl learning to wield a sword from her grandfather. But for Katarina, it was the first time she’d been given the chance to consider such a thing.

It was only then that she began to dream of more, of a life beyond being Eremiah’s puppet. Maybe she could become a real knight. Maybe she could become a real strategist. Maybe she’d give up fighting entirely, and find a nice home in the city and give orphaned children the sort of care she’d never had. And each time, Kris would be there, at her side, smiling and holding her hand.

They were nice dreams. But that was all they were--all they could ever be. Dreams were never meant to be--not for a wretch like herself.

Clarisse smuggled her the little vials of poison. Mixing the proper amounts into knights’ water supply had been easy, too easy, and it was only weakness that stopped her from pouring in a lethal amount. The castle was full of good men and women, of this she was certain. She would follow her orders, yes, but she would do so with as few casualties as possible. A mistake, she’d later learn, because the seventh platoon was able to fight off her reinforcements.

She was almost glad that they got to her first, wounding her badly enough that she could sound a retreat. None of Eremiah’s insults nor blows could shake the relief that Kris was alive--alive, alive, _alive_. And even if Katarina could never stand at her side once again, that was enough. It had to be.

 

\---

 

She had hoped, initially, that her feelings would fade with time. That she’d forget about the people she once called her friends and comrades, that she would remember her place, her purpose. That her affections only grew had to be some kind of divine punishment, of that, she was certain. It was almost painful, watching as Kris and the others fought Legion and Clarisse. And she felt guilty, too, that she couldn’t bring herself to mourn her siblings the way she felt she should, relieved as she was that Kris still lived.

But that would change today. It had to, because she had no choice. Even so, her hands shook as she watched the Altean army approach, and she tightened her grip on her tome in a poor attempt to stop them.

“Katarina…” How could Kris stand to look at her with such an expression of sorrow? How could Prince Marth still believe in her, after all this time?

“I’m sorry...I have no choice.” Altea would have no place for a traitor such as herself. And even if it did, she knew she didn’t deserve it. No, instead, she would fight hard enough to goad them into action. Hard enough to establish herself as a threat. But she couldn’t hurt them, any of them, really, but Kris especially. She would rather die.

“Katarina, please!” It would be easy, for Kris to end her with a swing of her sword. She’d always been excellent with a blade, and time had only sharpened her skill. “Can’t we talk this out?”

“I had a dream,” Reese found herself saying instead. “A happy one. Kris, you and I...we became Royal Guards together. We saved many people, received many thanks. And then, the two of us…” _Had a happy ending of our own_ , her mind supplied, but the words die in her throat. “I’m sorry, I’m talking nonsense. There’s no going back.” She cast Nosferatu, carefully aimed so as to inflict minimal damage. Katarina felt her strength grow, and felt sick to her stomach.

“I don’t want to fight you.”

“There’s nothing left to say.” Oh, but how she wished there was. “You and I are enemies. Please, fight me. If you don’t, I…” She swallowed the lump in her throat before it could betray her. “I’ll kill you.”

“Please, Katarina, listen to me.” Reese wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or cry at Kris’ stubbornness. In the end, she did both, her weapon falling uselessly to her side ( uselessly, just like her ).

“Why? You’ll die if you don’t kill me...why won’t you fight?”

“Because I care about you.” Kris sheathed her sword and extended a hand ( once upon a time, it would be easy, too easy, to cut her down with a close-range spell ). “You can’t have forgotten our time together training. ‘Together, we’d be an unstoppable team.’ That’s what you told me, back then.”

She had, hadn’t she? She’d said she would be happy if such a thing could ever happen.

“That was a lie...to deceive you all.” But Kris only smiled knowingly.

“If that’s the case, then why are you crying now?” Reese wiped at her eyes, knowing she couldn’t refute it. “Come back, Katarina. You don’t belong with them--you want to fight alongside me, for Prince Marth. I’m sure of it.”

“It’s too late for that.”

“It’s never too late to atone. It won’t be easy--many people will turn a cold shoulder to you. But Prince Marth believes in you, and so do I. I promise, no matter what happens, I’ll stand by your side. Come back to us, Katarina.”

And in the end, wasn’t that all she ever wanted? A sob escaped her, then another and another until she could barely see through her tears.

“Kris! Oh, Kris!” Heedless of those around her, Katarina flung her arms around her. Kris’s returning embrace was warm and solid, and to Katarina’s delight, she didn’t let go.


End file.
